One of the toughest things I’ve learned as a mom is to let go. To let go of the worries, let go of the stress, and let go of the things that are out of my control. But the hardest thing to realize as a Type A personality is to let go and let God.

But what does this mean?

This is something I’ve struggled with all my life. I’ve realized that I can plan out my life as much as I want, but that things can change in an instant.

One of the most nerveracking prayers I’ve prayed was silence… Silent and being open to God’s word. That his word can tell us where he is calling me and my family.

As a mom, this is so tough. It’s tough for so many reasons. It not only affects your life, but your spouses and kids as well. And I know all moms can agree with me that making any kind of change to your families dynamic or daily life can be scary.

I had such a strong bond with God in college and when we were married, then after having kids I felt guilty that we didn’t have the same relationship. But after reflecting on the last couple of years I realized that God knows my heart and my love for him. That what was important for me to focus on is to do everything for Him is the thick of motherhood. It was tough…I failed a lot.

At the beginning of this year, I prayed to God to use me and my family to do his work. And then came the hardest part…to listen.

Send me, and I will go Isaiah 6:8

Finally, the silence broke and I felt God wanted me to take the blog in a different direction. So, at the beginning of the year, I took a break from posting regularly to really figure this out. I realized that I’m most passionate about is to help empower passions beyond motherhood. I also felt called to share our story with others in hopes that women can know that in our role as a mom that we aren’t alone. In the good times and in the times of struggle that no matter how different you think we all are we all have something in common that connects us.

The last couple of months proved to be the hardest. The self-doubt started to creep in even though I was working hard to keep it at bay. I felt unworthy of what God was asking of me. And then a prayer answered! I was featured on Beating 50 Percent! I was a guest blogger on their site which allowed me the opportunity to reach more people than I could have ever been able to. I know that God’s hand was on this and I’m still so thankful for that opportunity that has brought.

So, if you ever feel lost be willing to listen to God’s calling for the season of life you may be in. It maybe to focus on your family or he may ask you to take a small step one day or a huge leap in another season of life. Be willing to let God use you and your family to do his work.

A lot of times consistency feels good and safe. But what if by listening for God’s calling you can completely change your life and others around you for the better. To take the chance that what God has planned for our lives can be better than anything that we can even begin to comprehend.

Have you ever looked back on your life and realized that the events in your life have brought you to this point in your life? Or maybe you look back constantly and have trouble moving forward. Maybe you have some resentment with someone or maybe even yourself for actions that affected you.

Either way you view your past we all know that our past is a part of us good or bad. And we have absolutely no power to change what has already happened.

I’m turning the big 3-0 on the 11th of this month. Turning 30 is kind of a big deal! At first, I was nervous and kind of dreading it, but then I realized how much I’ve grown and progressed in the last 3 decades and I can say I’ve never been happier and felt more fulfilled in my life. The last couple of weeks I’ve been really thinking back on the last 30 years, and in honor of my big day I decided to share 30 things that I’ve learned in the last 30 years:

Gretchen Dauzat is a wife, mom to 4, entrepreneur, and writer. Her passion is to empower moms to realize, cultivate, and pursue their passions beyond motherhood. When not folding loads of laundry, you can find her having a dance party with her family or listening to a great audiobook.